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Monday, 19 September 2011

Iain Gray's first outing as Leader of Scottish Labour in Holyrood, about 18 months into the SNP minority government in their first term, in late 2008.

Iain Gray comes across as the moderate, reasonable man he once was, concerned for Scotland, and for civilised political debate. And the Parliament reflects that mood and that time. Behind him Margaret Curran and Cathy Jamieson, MSPs, both still rooted in Scotland, both concerned for Scotland. Gordon Brown was still Prime Minister, but the wheels were beginning to come off the New Labour Machine.

What has the Labour obsession with Westminster and the Union brought them to?

In the two and a half years that followed, Iain Gray descended to hectoring negativism, blind opposition to anything the SNP tried to do for Scotland, and Curran and Jamieson both set off on the high road to England as MPs, to become ciphers - shadows of their former selves, Scotland long forgotten.

And Scottish Labour entered deeper into the fog of confusion and electoral chaos that mirrored the fate of Labour nationally, and which now threatens the very existence of the party as a credible political force in Scotland.